President Donald Trump announced on Friday his plans to partially roll back several Obama-era policies on travel to Cuba.
The revised policy stops short of completely cutting off ties to the island nation but seeks to stop the flow of American money to Cuba's military, security and intelligence services.
In doing so, traveling to Cuba will be more difficult.
Tourism to Cuba remains banned while current travel restrictions are likely to be tightened and more heavily enforced. In a statement to TravelPulse, Intrepid Travel said the policy proposal means stricter government audits to ensure travelers are legitimately qualifying under the 12 approved categories introduced under Obama.
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"Despite today's distressing news, and while it will be difficult, if not impossible, for American's to visit Cuba if they go by themselves, it is important to note that Americans will still be able to visit Cuba with a tour group and under a people-to-people program," smarTours co-CEO Greg Geronemus said in a statement to TravelPulse.
"As a result, smarTours and other tour operators alike will be able to continue to take Americans to visit Cuba legally until further notice. So, the silver lining is that it's still very much possible to travel to Cuba-the options have simply become more limited."
Small group culinary tour operator Access Trips also expressed disappointment.
"At Access Trips we believe firmly in the power of people-to-people connections to effect change and we affirm our conviction that all Americans should be able to travel freely to Cuba and beyond. Although today's new policy announcement restricts the travel of individuals to Cuba, Access Trips will continue to offer people-to-people small group tours to Cuba as we have been doing since 2015," CEO Tamar Lowell said in a statement.
"Access Trips' tours will operate as planned, with our eight-day immersive culinary tours as well as our five-day weekend trips to Havana both designed to help our guests explore Cuban culture through its cuisine."
However, under Trump's plan airlines and cruise lines will still be allowed to fly and sail to Cuba.
"Carnival Corporation is pleased that the policy changes announced by the Trump administration will allow our ships to continue to sail to Cuba," the cruise giant said in a statement. "We will review the extent of the tightening of the travel rules, but our guests have already been traveling under the 12 approved forms of travel to Cuba since we undertook our historic first cruise to Cuba more than a year ago."
Carnival also said it has requested approval its other brands to travel to Cuba in the future.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President and Head of International Affairs Myron Brilliant issued the following statement today regarding the administration's Cuba policy announcement
"U.S. private sector engagement can be a positive force for the kind of change we all wish to see in Cuba," they said. Unfortunately, today's moves actually limit the possibility for positive change on the island and risk ceding growth opportunities to other countries that, frankly, may not share America's interest in a free and democratic Cuba that respects human rights. We remain committed to working with all relevant parties to remove the antiquated policies that hinder the empowerment of the American and Cuban people."
Trump's proposed policy could stifle hotel development on the island and ban Americans from staying at hotels with ties to the Cuban military. According to CNN, the President's changes would include prohibiting financial transactions incidental to travel with the Cuban government-run GAESA.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio detailed what Trump's plan means for Americans visiting Cuba in a series of tweets Friday.
However, none of the proposed changes brought forward Friday can go into effect until the U.S. Treasury Department issues updated regulations, a process that could take several months.
American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) President and CEO Zane Kerby issued the following statement in regards to Trump's policy changes:
"It is important to note that the extent of these changes will not be known until the Treasury and Commerce Department issue updated regulations in the next few months-and ASTA plans to fully participate in that process," he said. "Broadly speaking, while challenges remain in terms of Cuba's readiness for large volumes of American travelers, the past few years have seen a growth in business for U.S. travel agencies, tour operators, airlines, cruise lines, hotel and other travel companies. That progress now appears to be at great risk."
"Rather than shutting the door to this market 90 miles off our shores, we call on policymakers to enact legislation to do away with the statutory Cuba travel ban once and for all," Kerby continued. "While this announcement is a setback, we will continue to advocate toward Cuba travel freedom and look forward to the day it becomes reality."
Friday's announcement was met with chagrin by several members of Congress, including Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, who recently helped reintroduce the Freedom for Americans to Travel to Cuba Act.
"Any policy change that diminishes the ability of Americans to travel freely to Cuba is not in the best interests of the United States or the Cuban people," stated Flake. "It is time Senate leadership finally allowed a vote on my bipartisan bill to fully lift these archaic restrictions which do not exist for travel by Americans to any other country in the world. The bill has 55 total cosponsors and I am convinced it would pass the Senate with upwards of 70 votes."
[READMORE] READ MORE: Majority of Americans Support Open Travel to Cuba [/READMORE]
Washington, D.C. Rep. Barbara Lee echoed those thoughts in her own statement.
"Since President Obama transformed U.S. relations with Cuba in 2014, Americans and Cubans alike have reaped the benefits of expanded trade, loosened travel restrictions, and strengthened diplomatic ties," said Lee. "The American people should be able to exercise their fundamental right to travel without political interference from the federal government."
"Abandoning our progress makes no sense and achieves nothing. This is a completely unnecessary step backward for American families and businesses, the Cuban people and U.S. global leadership."
While changes to the way Americans currently travel to and experience Cuba appear imminent the ongoing debate over travel and trade with Cuba isn't going away anytime soon. A majority of Americans support open travel to Cuba and leading human rights organizations have condemned a reversal of U.S. policy that makes it easier for U.S. travelers to visit Cuba.
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